By Elyssa Parnell

eparnell@civitasmedia.com

From left are senior engineer Brian Beck, Explorer Elli Godwin, Explorer Caleb Bickley, Explorer Ashley Livingston, Explorer Chansel Minick and Captain Gene Shealy.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_group-photo.jpgFrom left are senior engineer Brian Beck, Explorer Elli Godwin, Explorer Caleb Bickley, Explorer Ashley Livingston, Explorer Chansel Minick and Captain Gene Shealy. Courtesy photos

At this most recent competition, the Explorers competed in team quick dress, individual quick dress and team hose deployment, shown.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_team-hose-deployment.jpgAt this most recent competition, the Explorers competed in team quick dress, individual quick dress and team hose deployment, shown. Courtesy photos

NEWBERRY — Four members of the Newberry Fire Department’s Explorer program traveled to Myrtle Beach recently to put their skills to the test and although they didn’t bring any hardware home, they did give a strong showing.

Gene Shealy, recruitment and retention coordinator for the City of Newberry Fire Department, said he was proud of the showing the four had at the S.C. Fire Rescue Explorer competition held June 11.

Explorers is a program designed to let youth ages 14 to 21 explore the fire service and see if it’s something they would like to continue doing as they get older. The Newberry group has 16 members.

By the age of 16, Shealy said Explorers can begin certified firefighter training and once they turn 18, they can be certified if they put forth the effort. He said those who go the extra mile to be certified can serve as volunteers in their area of the county or stay with the Explorer post until they turn 21.

At the age of 21, the members must be moved to a volunteer firefighter status or age out of the program.

Senior engineers Brian Beck and Andrew Morris lead the Explorer post meetings.

“They do a great job with this group,” Shealy said.

As recruitment and retention coordinator at the fire department, the program falls under Shealy’s umbrella, but Beck and Morris had done a great job with the program so he left it with them.

Beck said the Explorer program is a great way to help with the recruitment program at the fire department.

“This is a great program,” Beck said. “We had a great time at the competition. It was a learning experience for the Explorers and for the leaders as well.”

At the event in June, the Explorers competed in team quick dress, individual quick dress and team hose deployment.

But the Explorers didn’t qualify for the competition — they volunteered to compete in it, Shealy said.

The competition

The firefighter quick dress competition is to see how fast firefighters can put their gear on, Shealy said. This part of the competition also includes breathing from a Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA).

Each competitor raises his or her hands when the task is complete and the time is recorded by a judge. Each competitor is checked for any penalties, such as gear not put on properly, a mistake that can result in a five-second penalty.

“Certified firefighters are required to have all of their gear donned and breathing from the SCBA in less than two minutes,” Shealy said. “All of our competitors were well under this mark.”

Shealy said a couple of the Explorers completed the task in just over one minute.

In the second event — the team water supply challenge — the Explorers started without any protective gear on.

The team had to put all of their gear on, hook a two and a half foot hose to a hydrant then hook a gated Y to that hose so two smaller hoses could be connection to the larger hose. Nozzles were then placed on the smaller lines and the hoses stretched across the finish line.

“Our Explorers accomplished this in about one minute and 45 seconds,” Shealy said. “They did very well.”

Morris said while some in the Explorer program are interested in competition, others are more interested in certification training.

“We had a really strong team,” Morris said. “They really motivated and encouraged each other the whole time.”

Shealy said they hope to send a competition team to the beach next year and were looking for sponsors for a team.

The group also hopes to have a competition at the department’s Kids Fun Day this year to give the public an idea of what they are doing in the fire service.

“It may encourage others to join as well,” Shealy said.

The Explorers meet the second Wednesday of every month for training and assist with community events like July 4 fireworks, Christmas parades, Oktoberfest and Kids Fun Day. Shealy said the program is limited to 25 youth due to the span of control and cost related to gear.

To join the Explorer post and get involved, Beck, Shealy and Morris can be reached at 321-1030.

Reach Elyssa Parnell at 803-276-0625, ext. 1868, or on Twitter @TheNBOnews.